Canadian newspaper wins 'Innovator of the Month'; Springfield photo project garners monthly 'Great Idea'

The Winnipeg Free Press is the first newspaper from Canada to win the Associated Press Media Editors’ Innovator of the Month.

APME also awarded its Great Idea of the Month to the photo editor of the State-Journal Register in Springfield, Ill.
            The Free Press created a monthly special section called “Our City, Our World” to highlight its different ethic communities in Manitoba, which is in central Canada. Judges were impressed with the quality and depth of the innovative project.

“The Winnipeg project is impressively ambitious,” said judge Gary Graham, editor of The Spokesman-Review. “The variety of topics gave readers a comprehensive view of how their community has changed and why it has changed.”

As for the Great Idea of the Month, Rich Saal won it for a two-year project in which he digitized glass plate negatives taken between 1929 and 1935 and then created an exhibit for his community library. The State-Journal Register also created a website for the photographs.

Judge Bill Church, executive editor of Statesman Journal Media in Salem, Ore., said he thought the project was compelling.

“The State Journal-Register found an innovative and unique way to build on its asset — historical knowledge — while reaching out to the community across platforms,” Church said. “Rich Saal’s dedication and passion for the project led to a public exhibit.”

Judges also gave strong consideration to the Columbia Missourian for its development of a Community Outreach Team.

“This was a very, very tough choice,” said judge Kathy Best, managing editor of the Seattle Times. “All of the submissions were innovative, and all were great ideas. I wish they weren’t competing against each other!”

The monthly “Innovator of the Month” and “Great Idea of the Month” are a project of the Innovator/Great Ideas Committee. Joe Hight, director of information and development for The Oklahoman/NewsOK.com, and David Arkin, vice president of content & audience for GateHouse Media Inc., are co-chairs of the committee.

Special question-and-answers with the winners will be posted soon on the APME website.

News organizations are encouraged to continue submitting their innovations and ideas for APME’s popular Great Ideas book. It’s easy and takes only a few minutes to submit one by going to http://www.apme.com/?page=GreatIdeasform.